The streaming service giant Netflix greets 2018 by adding perhaps the most-acclaimed trilogy in the history of American film to its roster — The Godfather I , II and III along with a deep bench of classic and fan-favorite films that become available on the service as soon as the ball drops in Times Square to mark the start of the new year.
While it’s hard to image a film buff who has not become intimately familiar with the Godfather series, here’s a brief summary just in case: based on Mario Puzo’s bestselling 1969 novel of the same name, the first Godfather film was directed by a then-newcomer to Hollywood named Francis Ford Coppola and told the tale of a fictional New York Mafia syndicate, the Corleone Family, and its aging boss, Don Vito Corleone — played in an Oscar-winning turn by Marlon Brando. The film also captured the 1972 Best Picture Oscar award.
But The Godfather was really the story of Don Vito’s youngest son, Michael Corleone, portrayed by a youthful and then-unknown Al Pacino. In 1974’s The Godfather Part II , Coppola returned to Michael’s saga, brilliantly and brutally depicting the new “Godfather” who was once considered the Corleone most likely to make it in the non-criminal world, as he stooped to ever-more ruthless and violent methods and tactics to consolidate his power.
Filming was delayed for a month after Al Pacino developed pneumonia on location in Santo Domingo. #TheGodfather #AlPacino pic.twitter.com/iOP3WChrvC
— PEOPLE WHO MAKE A DIFFERENCE (@changehumans) December 28, 2017
Godfather II also won Best Picture, as well as the Best Supporting Actor award for Robert DeNiro who took over from Brando in the role of Don Vito — this time depicting the mob boss’s ascent to power in the early 20th century, in a series of flashback scenes.
While less acclaimed and in fact, generally considered the weakest of the trilogy, Godfather III took another 16 years to appear and wrapped up Michael Corleone’s story in fittingly operatic fashion.
Also on January 1, Netflix adds not one, not two, but five Batman titles to its streaming lineup, providing fans of the Caped Crusader with more than enough Dark Knight in the New Year. Starting with the 1989 Batman , in which Michael Keaton takes the dual role of Batman and his alter-ego, wealthy industrialist Bruce Wayne, Netflix also includes the film’s controversial sequel Batman Returns . Keaton stars again, as Batman director Tim Burton adds a menagerie of bizarre and nightmarish embellishments to the Batman mythos in this sequel, which divided Batman fans.
Batman Forever , Batman & Robin and Batman Begins round out the January Batman-fest in Netflix.
Of course, Netflix also offers a wide slate of original programming in addition to its lineup of popular movies — which also includes all four Lethal Weapon movies — highlighted by the 10th season of the Jerry Seinfeld series Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee , which moves from the advertising-supported streaming service Crackle to Netflix for the first time, starting January 6.
A new season of the Jane Fonda-Lily Tomlin comedy Grace and Frankie debuts on January 19, while the Netflix original feature film A Futile and Stupid Gesture — telling the improbable behind-the-scenes tale of the National Lampoon magazine — premieres on January 26 .
Here is the full list of movies, TV series and originals coming to Netflix in January, 2018.
January 1
10,000 B.C. 30 Days of Night Age Of Shadows AlphaGo America’s Sweethearts Apollo 13 Batman Batman & Robin Batman Begins Batman Forever Batman Returns Breakfast at Tiffany’s Bring It On Bring It On Again Bring It On: All or Nothing Bring It On: Fight to the Finish Bring It On: In It to Win It Caddyshack Chef & My Fridge: 2017 Defiance Definitely, Maybe Eastsiders: Season 3 Furry Vengeance Glace: Season 1 (Netflix Original) How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days Justin Bieber: Never Say Never King Kong Lethal Weapon Lethal Weapon 2 Lethal Weapon 3 Lethal Weapon 4 License to Wed Like Water for Chocolate Love Actually Lovesick: Season 3 (Netflix Original) Maddman: The Steve Madden Story Marie Antoinette Martin Luther: The Idea that Changed the World Midnight in Paris Monsters vs. Aliens National Treasure Sharknado 5: Global Swarming Stardust Strictly Ballroom The Dukes of Hazzard The Exorcism of Emily Rose The First Time The Godfather The Godfather: Part II The Godfather: Part III The Italian Job The Lovely Bones The Shawshank Redemption The Truman Show The Vault Training Day Treasures From The Wreck Of The Unbelievable Troy Wedding Crashers Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory
January 2
Mustang Island Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales Rent
January 5
Before I Wake (Netflix Original) Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee (Netflix Original) DEVILMAN crybaby: Season 1 (Netflix Original) Rotten (Netflix Original)
January 6
Episodes: Season 1-5
January 8
The Conjuring
January 10
47 Meters Down Alejandro Riaño Especial de stand up (Netflix Original) Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie In The Deep
January 12
Colony: Season 2 Disjointed: Part 2 (Netflix Original) Somebody Feed Phil (Netflix Original) The Man Who Would Be Polka King The Polka King (Netflix Original) Tom Segura: Disgracefu l (Netflix Original)
January 14
Wild Hogs
January 15
2018 Olympic Winter Games Preview: Meet Team USA & Go for the Gold Rehenes Unrest
January 16
Dallas Buyers Club Katt Williams: Great America (Netflix Original) Rita: Season 4
January 17
Arango y Sanint: Ríase El Show (Netflix Original) Friday Night Tykes: Season 4
January 18
Bad Day for the Cut Tiempos de guerra: Season 1 (Netflix Original)
January 19
Drug Lords: Season 1 (Netflix Original) Grace and Frankie: Season 4 (Netflix Original) The Open House (Netflix Original) Trolls: The Beat Goes On!: Season 1 (Netflix Original)
January 23
Todd Glass: Act Happy (Netflix Original)
January 24
Ricardo Quevedo: Hay gente así (Netflix Original)
January 25
Acts of Vengeance
January 26
A Futile and Stupid Gesture (Netflix Original) Dirty Money (Netflix Original) Kavin Jay: Everybody Calm Down! (Netflix Original) Llama Llama: Season 1 (Netflix Original) One Day at a Time: Season 2 (Netflix Original) Sebastián Marcelo Wainraich (Netflix Original) The Adventures of Puss in Boots: Season 6 (Netflix Original) Mau Nieto: Viviendo sobrio… desde el bar (Netflix Original)
January 28
El Ministerio del Tiempo: Seasons 1-2 El Ministerio del Tiempo: Season 3 (Netflix Original)
January 29
The Force
January 30
Babylon Berlin: Season 1 & 2 (Netflix Original) Death Race: Beyond Anarchy Retribution: Season 1 (Netflix Original)
January 31
Cars 3
